Track-wrench.



l. R. GATCHELL.

TRACK WRENCH.

APPLICATION man MAY 20. ms.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

ATTORNEY warren STATES PATENT ow IRVING R. \GATCHELL, or-LEwIsroN, MAINE.

TRACK-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

Application filed. May 20, 1916. Serial No. 98,876.

from either side, so as to turn the nuts. in either direction, as both faces or sides of the wrench are exactly alike, the said wrench after it has once been placed on a nut remaining thereon until the complete tightening of the nut has been effected.

Other objects and advantages of this-invention will be brought out in the following specific disclosure of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- 1n Figure 1 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of a wrench constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a full size view, showing an edge elevation of the wrench, looking at the pawl supporting edge and showing the compact arrangement of the parts wherein a single pawl engages both ends of the socket to positively engage each section or end thereof. Fig. 3 is a full size longitudinal central section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the mounting of the double pawl and the sectionsofthe nut receiving socket. Fig. 4 is a full size fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a part of the head with the pawl v mounted thereon, one of the socket sections being removed.

Referring to this drawing, the body of the wrench comprises'a one piece flat bar, forming a handle 10. a head 11, and a hand grip 12. The handle 10 preferably tapers in Width from the head 11 to the hand grip 12. The enlargement or head 11 is of substantially circular form, and is provided. as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. with a central circular opening. The head 11 is thus substantially in the form of a flat ring, and has one side 13, adjacent to the handle 10, slightly widened for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The wrench is provided with a rotary nut socket 14, which is mounted in and carried through the head 11. This socket is made up of a pair of duplicate sections. Each section is in the form of a flat disk, which has upon, its inner side a reduced boss or annular portion to provide the section with a"journal'portion 15 adapted to fit in the opening in the head ll, and at its outer side a peripheral flange 17 adapted to overlap and lie flat against the adjacent side of the head. The journal portions 15 havefflat inner faces which abut within the head 11, as shown in Fig. 3. The sections are held together, and the journal portions 15 are retamed 1n abutting relation, by r vets 16.

which extend through the sections, and are headed and counter-sunk at their extremities in the outer sides of the sections. Thus,

when the socket sections are assembled, the 3 socket is in substantially a single piece.

From F 1g. 3 particularly, it will be noted that the peripheral flanges 17 bear against the opposite faces of the head 11 to hold the socket let in the head and prevent its' displacement from either side thereof. These flanges 17 are provided with registering series of ratchet teeth 18, so that the two sets of teeth form substantially a single ratchet wheel for simultaneously driving the opposite ends of the socket 14, thereby preventing any lateral thrust upon the wrench.

A double pawl 19 is employed and has a longitudinal slot 20 in its under side adapted to receive therein the edge 13 of the head 11, and thus span the head. The pawl has a nose 21 against each face of the head 11,"one nose for each set of ratchet teeth 18. A pivot 22 extends transverselythrough the head 11 adjacent the edge 13, and is preferably in the form of a rivet which is headed and counter-sunk in the opposite sides of the pawl 19. i This pivot 22 is connected to the pawl 19 at a point intermediate the, ends thereof, as shown clearly'in Fig. 4.

A spring 23 is disposed'in the rear end of the slot 20 of the pawl, and is seated at one end in a depression or socket 2i formed in the adjacent edge of the head ll and hears at its outer end against the inner side of the pawl 19. Thus, the double nose of the pawl is urged inwardly toward the socket 14 and is adapted to snap into engagement with the ratchet teeth 18.

The socket 14 is shown in the present instance as having a rectangular opening 25 ceive in either end thereof, a square nut.

It is, of course, understood that this opening may be given any other desired config-.

uration to adapt the wrench for use upon nuts, bolt heads, and the like; The flanges 17 of the socket are beveled as at 26 at their outer edges, and the pawl 19 has its opposite Outeredges beveled as at 27, so as to gradually taper off the opposite sides of the wrench from its central portion to the outer relatively thin edge of the head 11. This construction wards 01? any objects, which might come in contact with the wrench, and prevents the catching or binding of the wrench against the adjacent nuts or bolts, or the rail, when the wrench is used in railroad work. 7 p

The wrench is applied to a nut by engaging one end of the socket 14 over the nut.

. Thehandle 10 is then reciprocated back and forthto operate the wrench. The pawl 19 is lifted out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 18 and travels over the peripheral edges of the flanges 17 when the handle 10 is moved in one'direction. When the handle 1013 moved in a reversedirection, the noses 2lof the double pawl 19 engage against the teeth 18 on the opposite ends of the socket l4; and positively and simultaneously drive the opposite ends of the socket to exert an equal pressure on the same.

To reverse the action of the wrench and turn the nut in an opposite direction, the socket 14 is disengaged from the nut, the wrench is turned over, and the socket 14 is again placed over the nut, the nut engaging in the opposite end of the socket.- In this instance,the handle 10 operates as before to drive the nut in an opposite direction.

From Figs. 1 and 4, it will be noted that the pivot 22 of the pawl 19 passes through the widened edge 13 of the head at one side of the handle 10. The double nose 21 of the pawl extends away from the handle 10, so that when the handle is moved in a direction toward the edge 13, the pawl is supported by practically the entire width of the handle 10' Such an arrangement utilizes the entire width of the handle to transmit the pressure of the handle to the pawl, and the parts may thus be made relatively small as compared with the work required to be done.

i The double pawl is so mounted upon the head that it distributes the pressure of the handle at the opposite sides or faces of the head, and prevents any tendency to twist or distort the nut'socket.

The sections of the socket 14 are introduced into the opposite sides of the head 11, and have their journal portions of suiiicient length to meet in the middle plane of the head and hold the flanges 17 of the sections from binding too tightly against the opposite sides of the head.

NVhat is. claimed is I A wrench comprising a one piece fiat bar providing a handle having an edgewise substantially circular enlargement at one end with a substantially circular opening therethrough to provide a flat ring-shaped head, a socket rotatably mounted in the head and composed of a pair of like sections, each socket section comprising a flat disk having a reduced extension on its inner side forming a journal portion fitting in the opening of the head, the journal portions of the sections abutting in the opening of the head, and an annular flange bearing against the outer side of the head, said flanges having peripheral ratchet teeth therein which are in register in the two sections, rivets passed through the socket sections to hold the same together, a one piecedouble pawl having a longitudinal slot in its under side spanning the edge of said head and having a nose at each side of the head for engagement with the opposed sets of ratchet teeth, a pivot traversing the pawl and the interposed portion of the head to pivotally support the pawl, and aspring contained within the pawl and bearing against the adjacent portion of the head to simultaneously urge both of said noses into engagement with both sets of said ratchet teeth.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IRVING R. GATGHELL.

Witnesses:

JAMES B. Fox, J. P. SCULLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington. 1). (3, 

